Wednesday play biggest Europe headline show at Leeds O2 Academy

Chameleonic, rural and up in your face - Wednesday played their biggest headline show in Europe in Leeds on Tuesday, February 24.

Tightroping between americana and alt-country to all-out noise, Karly Hartzman and company are gaining momentum following the release of Bleeds in September 2025, spawning several new favourites to go alongside their varied back catalogue.

Stamping authority in the opening minutes of the set at the O2 Academy, Wednesday went from the purposefully explosive ‘Reality TV Argument Bleeds’ to the stream-of-consciousness, unresolved ‘Fate Is…’.

The track, which opened the band’s 2020 album I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone, gives a hint to what binds the band’s fans to their music. Slight regret over recklessness, half-explanations, reverie in consequences. ‘Fate is drawing back its leg to kick me.’

Bands with this outlook are everywhere, however, but Wednesday rise above with charisma and a secret weapon - added texture through a slide player, giving the music an edge over contemporaries.

The set was heavy on the new album, pleasing switching their the different facets of their sound, even throwing in a cover and plenty of time to comment on the quality of the bootleg merchandise outside (which they decided to purchase themselves).

The set’s energy snowballed and by the end, the familiarity of Wednesday’s newer album singles (‘Elderberry Wine’, ‘Townies’) to the raw energy which ‘ruined’ Karly Hartzman’s vocal chords (‘Bull Believer’, ‘Wasp’) saw them through to a satisfying conclusion.

The band clearly mean the world to so many fans and show something to aspire to - an ability to let go of the external forces that dictate our lives and prioritise fun chronicled by our own experiences.